The prior art of a hydrogen fuel cell converts chemical energy of the hydrogen into electrical energy. The mechanism shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises an anode set 110, a cathode set 120, a proton exchange membrane 141, a hydrogen delivering device 142, an oxygen delivering device 143 and a water outlet 144. The proton exchange membrane 141 is defined between the anode set 110 and the cathode set 120, and each of its two sides is tightly lain by a catalytic layer 140 (a platinum or palladium catalytic layer) respectively.
Shown as FIG. 10, the anode set 110 includes a first electrode plate 111, a first diversion plate 112, a gas supply duct 145 and a first clasp plate 180. The first diversion plate 112 lies tightly between the first electrode plate 111 and the catalytic layer 140. The first clasp plate 180 lies tightly on the exterior side of the first electrode plate 111 with a gas inlet 182. One end of the gas inlet 182 links to the hydrogen delivering device 142, and the other end links to the gas supply duct 145. The gas supply duct 145 penetrates through the first electrode plate 111 and links to the gas diversion pathway 112a of the first diversion plate 112. The cathode set 120 includes a second electrode plate 121, a second diversion plate 122, a gas supply duct 146 and a second clasp plate 181. The second diversion plate 122 lies tightly between the second electrode plate 121 and another catalytic layer 140. The second clasp plate 181 lies tightly on the exterior side of the second electrode plate 121 with a gas inlet 183. The gas supply duct 146 penetrates through the second electrode plate 121 and links to the gas diversion pathway 122a of the second diversion plate 122. One end of the gas inlet 183 links to the oxygen delivering device 143, and the other end links to the gas supply duct 146. A plurality of bolts 184 are employed to fasten stacks of required assembly as a hydrogen fuel cell set. While entering the anode set 110, hydrogen is ionized by the catalytic layer 140 to electrons and hydrogen ions. The electrons move into the cathode set 20 via external load circuit 90. The hydrogen ions, passing through the proton exchange membrane 141, react with the electrons from the external load circuit 90 and oxygen from the cathode set 120 to produce water and heat. The water is drained from the water outlet 144.
The prior art of the hydrogen fuel cell needs two platinum or palladium catalytic layers which increase material cost for manufacturing. Furthermore, the prior art of a hydrogen fuel cell needs hydrogen ions to react with oxygen and electrons in order to ensure the electricity being normally discharged to its load for the cell. Its unrecyclable hydrogen ions are a waste of hydrogen source and the life cycle of the hydrogen fuel cell is decreased. A special property of the hydrogen-storage complex metal is to adsorb and store hydrogen at high pressure or low temperature circumstances and to produce complex metal hydrides. The hydrogen-storage complex metal will reversely release the adsorbed hydrogen at low pressure or high temperature circumstances, and it also has certain advantages such as a higher capacity to store hydrogen, easier to be activated, faster rate to adsorb or release hydrogen, longer life cycle and lower cost. Therefore, the hydrogen-storage complex metal has been widely applied to many industries like refrigeration equipments, hydrogen storage of fuel cells and negative electrode production of Ni-MH secondary batteries. Wherein, the difference between a Ni-MH secondary battery and a Ni—Cd secondary battery is that Ni-MH secondary battery uses hydrogen-storage complex metal to replace cadmium as its negative electrode. When the hydrogen-storage complex metal is charged in potassium hydroxide electrolyte, electrochemical reaction proceeds on the surface of the complex metal. Hydrogen atoms off the water molecules move and diffuse towards the surface of the complex metal, react with the complex metal and produce metal hydrides with heat released. Though the application of hydrogen-storage complex metal in the Ni-MH secondary battery improves the reaction efficiency at the negative electrode, it is unable to recycle the hydrogen for further reuse. In the long run, it is relatively easier to cause environmental pollution.